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Requesting a Subdivision of Land
The Municipality, by ordinance, considers any change of property lines or boundaries to be a subdivision of land that must comply with the subdivision regulations. This information will help guide you through the subdivision process.
STEP 1:
You must first determine if your property is subdividable by virtue of the zoning of your property. You may not create any lots that do not conform in area, width or length to the zoning and subdivision regulations. Zoning information can be obtained by either a visit to the Department of Community Planning and Development, or by telephone.
STEP 2:
In most cases it is advisable to request a pre-application conference with the Platting Officer. Such a conference requires preparation by both parties to be of any value. The pre-application conference is not mandatory, but is helpful for very large or complex subdivisions. You must submit three (3) copies of your development plan to the Platting Officer who will then review the plan with you. A pre-application request must be filed at least fifteen (15) days prior to the submittal of the preliminary plat application.
STEP 3:
An application for a subdivision consists of an application with a number of documents to the Platting Authority. The documents are:
- 30 copies of a short plat or 40 copies of a long plat drawn on 18"X24" or 24"X36" or 31-1/2"X34" paper (usually blueline prints). The plat drawings must show information such as the lot sizes, and area, streets, street dimensions, zoning, buildings, utilities, vicinity map and flood plain information.
- One copy of a certificate to plat obtained from a land title company or an abstract of title from an attorney. This document verifies ownership and reports on easements and other restrictions on the property.
- One 8-1/2"X11" copy suitable for reproduction of each of the following, with the land to be platted clearly outlined:
- A black line aerial photograph of the land to be platted.
- A black line topographic representation of the land to be platted.
- A black line Municipality of Anchorage housing stock map for the area including the land to be platted.
- A black line reproduction of the municipal zoning map including the land to be platted.
- A black line reproduction of the preliminary plat.
- Four copies of a topographic map of your subdivision (may be waived by Platting Officer if property has minimal topographic relief).
- Four copies of a soils test to a depth of 16 feet (may be waived by Platting Officer if subdivision will be served by public sewer and water).
- 30 copies of the Department of Community Planning and Development application forms with the information filled in, stapled to each plat.
- The filing fee. The fee varies with the number of lots in the subdivision.
STEP 4:
When your application is accepted, it will be held until a Platting Board cut-off date. The day after the cut-off date all applications received will be assigned case numbers and case files will be opened. The Department of Community Planning and Development will then circulate your application to the various Municipal, State and other governmental agencies.
If your property lies within the boundaries of a community council, the council will also receive a copy. Notices will be sent by mail to all property owners within 500 feet of your subdivision request or the owners of the nearest 50 parcels of land whichever is greater. The notices will announce the date, time, and location of the Platting Board public hearing as well as the description of the property being platted and the names of the parties filing the preliminary plat.
STEP 5:
As the reviewing agencies and the staff study your application you may be asked to meet with the agencies that have questions about your application. You will be notified of such meetings by the staff or the agency with the questions.
Approximately (5) days before the Platting Board public hearing, the Department of Community Planning and Development will issue the Department's recommendation to the Platting Board on your subdivision request. The staff recommendation will be based upon the data received from the reviewing agencies, adopted Municipal Plans and sound planning principles. You may pick up a copy of this recommendation at the department or at the Platting Board public hearing.
STEP 6:
Each subdivision application is assigned to the Platting Board agenda. The Board follows the agenda in the order the petitions are listed. The Board will conduct a public hearing as follows:
- The chairman of the Board will announce the item that is to come before it.
- The chairman will then ask for the Department of Community Planning and Development staff to present their recommendation.
- The Board may question the staff.
- The Board will then open the public hearing and request to hear from the petitioner or his representative first. You or your representative should then come forward and make your presentation to the Platting Board.
- Following questions of the Board members, the chairman will open the public hearing to anyone in the audience who has something to say about your subdivision.
- When everyone in the audience who has testimony on your subdivision has had an opportunity to speak, the chairman will close the public hearing and the Board will render a decision on your petition.
- It takes at least five positive votes by members of the Board to approve your subdivision.
STEP 7:
If the Platting Board approves your subdivision request you then have (18) to (60) months in which to finalize your subdivision plat application. If on the other hand, the Platting Board denies your petition, or you are dissatisfied with any conditions of approval placed upon your application by the Platting Board, you may within (15) days of the Platting Board decision appeal to the Municipal Assembly sitting as the Board of Adjustment.
Your subdivision, if approved, is also subject to appeal by any person dissatisfied with the Boards decision.
STEP 8:
When you are satisfied with your preliminary plat approval you may proceed to finalize your subdivision. To finalize a subdivision, three (3) blueline copies of the final plat, the same size as one of the sizes mentioned for preliminary plats, are delivered to the Department of Community Planning and Development. The blueline copy will have the stamp of a registered land surveyor and his signature.
The staff person will then compare your final plat to the conditions of approval issued by the Platting Board to determine that all conditions have been satisfied or will be satisfied prior to the recording of the plat. A filing fee will also be required.
STEP 9:
When the Department of Community Planning and Development accepts your final plat, it will be routed to several agencies to review and approve. It will first be sent to the Treasury Department to determine that taxes due on the property are current and paid. If you record your plat prior to the time the tax bills are paid for the current year, you will be required to pay the taxes in advance before your plat can be recorded.
With the tax matter settled, the plat will then be sent to the Public Works Department, to the Municipal Surveyor, to review the survey information and to field check the plat to ensure that the monuments are installed. The Municipal Engineering office will also examine the plat to determine that their requirements have been met.
If a subdivision agreement or utility extensions were required as part of your approval, it will be verified that the subdivision or utility agreements were indeed executed and performance guarantees were posted.
When all items of concern have been settled satisfactorily with the Public Works Department, the mylar of the plat will then be returned to the Department of Community Planning and Development to obtain the signature for the acceptance of any dedications by the Mayor and the Clerk's Office. The Platting Officer will also sign the plat attesting to the fact that all conditions of approval have been satisfied.
If the plat is in an area which will have a private sewer system, the Department of Health and Environmental Protection will also be required to review and sign the plat.
The final signature to be placed on the plat will be that of the Chairman of the Platting Board. With his/her signature the plat is then ready to be taken to the State District Recorder's Office for recording.
STEP 10:
After the plat is recorded in the District Recorder's Office, you may sell any lots created by the subdivision process. The mylar will then be sent to the Municipal Surveyor's Office for its permanent storage.
You may obtain copies of the mylar from the Municipal Surveyor's office or copies from the microfilm records maintained at the State District Recorder's Office.
Reference Anchorage Municipal Code: 21.15.100, 21.15.110, 21.15.115, 21.15.120, 21.75, 21.80, 21.85, 21.87.
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